1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual rotor type rotary engine with primary rotor compartments for ignition of a fuel and air mixture and secondary rotor compartments for ignition of fuel and air mixed with exhaust gases around each rotor. In particular, the present invention relates to a rotary engine with rotary tubular valves and with regenerative heat exchange between inlet air and hot exhaust gases.
2. Prior Art
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,464, I described a rotary internal combustion engine having dual, eccentric cylindrically shaped rotors mounted on a shaft in separate closed housings such that the radius of maximum eccentricity from the shaft of one rotor is 180.degree. around the shaft from the other rotor. Sliding abutments are provided between the rotors and housings to form variable volume compartments in an Otto cycle, four stroke engine. Special valve means using flathead or poppet type valves with cams between the housings is described for inletting a fuel-air mixture into each compartment and for removing the exhaust gases from each compartment. The engine provides an especially useful design in regard to emissions control; conventional internal combustion type rotary engines tend to be difficult and expensive in reducing pollution to meet current environmental standards.
In my U.S. application Ser. No. 949,196, filed Oct. 6, 1978, I described tubular rotary valve means in a rotary engine which is used in the present invention. Rotary inlet valve tubes and outlet valve tubes are provided around the rotors having openings leading into the rotor compartments. The tubes are rotated by planetary gear sets including a central gear on the shaft supporting the rotors.
The use of rotary tubular inlet valve means for engines is generally known, such as the valve described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,059 to Kalkbrenner. A curtain valve is used for the outlet of steam in the Kalkbrenner engine which also has only a single variable volume compartment per rotor. The engine is described as being suitable for miniaturization. It is believed that there is other prior art showing tubular valves.